Welcome to our open, self-paced ESL study group. We can and hope to add networks to the group. This blog is the hub where you can find lessons, links to ESL learning resources, leave links to add to the network, post comment and questions. The study group project is experimental. Participate by sharing ideas and suggestions.

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Tuesday, April 17, 2007

English for the Workplace - Level Test.Take this 100 question test to discover your English level. This test was especially designed for English for Business (or the workplace) and focuses on standard business English phrases, vocabulary etc

Making Business Presentations - Key PhrasesThis making business presentations outline provides a guide to giving a business presentation in English. Each section begins with the presentation section concerned, then the language formulas appropriate to giving.

PS to Rajeev - I can't answer your question because it makes no sense whatsover! Be more specific - always include examples. Please give at least one clear example of what you mean by your claim that "sometimes we use 'the' just to start a sentence." I don't.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Tai's recent question reminds me of a very important point that can be too easy to overlook.

Do we always have to use the definite article "the" for specific object that both the person speaking and the listener know? For example, "The car over there is fast." I'm confused. If the speaker and the listener are seeing the car for for the first time, is it wrong to use a/an or not? "A car over there is fast."

Both "The car over there is fast" and "A car over there is fast" are correct sentences. However, the meaning is not the same. You can be grammatically correct and still get the meaning wrong. Conversely, you can get the meaning right and make a grammatical mistake. Which do you think is more important? Do you want to make sense or do you want to sound good? Of course you want both, but effective communication is always more important.

The car over there is fast = That specific car over there is fast. Maybe there is only one car over there. It does not really matter whether or not the speaker and the listener "know" or have seen the specific car before as long as it is clear that the reference is to a particular car. Using modifiers helps too.

There is a fast car over there = one of the cars over there is fast; somewhere over there is a fast car

You can add modifiers (The black BMW with the chrome luggage rack is a fast car) or rephrase. In the second sentence, "There is a fast car over there" would be a better construction.

Articles are such small words but are big contributors to confusion and lack of clarity. They are not alone though. What are some others? Knowing what they are and why or how they make what you say or write unclear helps. You know where to look for problems when you edit. Also as you become more aware, you will be able to avoid problems.

Other problem areas:Word choicePrepositionsWord orderSlang and colloquial or idiomatic expressions

Why do you think these problem areas interfere with meaning? What are your major problem areas? Are there others not on this list that you can think of?

English Verbs - Tense Resources Learning verb tenses is one of the most important tasks in any language learning. Here is a tense use guide to resources at the site that will help you learn...read more A, An, The or no article?Here is a new 30 question quiz focusing on those tricky definite and indefinite articles. If you aren't sure about the rules, here is a page dedicated to the basics...

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Listening and reading practice for National Poetry Month. Poetry usually has stronger and more distinguishable rhythm than prose. Reading and listening to its poetry is an excellent way to absorb the rhythm of another language.